Roller-conveyer.



. 1,095,445. Patenteq May 5,1914

J A. ALVEY.

ROLLER CONVEYERJ APPLICATION FILED 0014, 1911.

UNIT D STATES PATENT orrron.

JOHN A. ALVEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

ASS IGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ALVEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

noLLnR-ooNvEYEn.

Patented May 5, 1914.

ipplication filed October 4, 1911. Serial No. 652,830.

T 0 all whom it may concern which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to roller conveyers, and has for its main general object to provide an improved construction, combination and arrangement of parts in devices of this character whereby the same can be simply and economically constructed and rendered durable and efficient in service.

Another object is to provide a conveyer roller of improved construction by means of which goods which are being transported thereby will be automatically centered by its own movement.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a conveyer constructed in accordance with the )rinciples of this invention, parts being brolren away, and parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on line 111l1l, Fig. 2. Fig. at is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of the roller.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and to the embodiment shown therein, the conveyer as a whole is mounted upon any suitable base orsup'port 1, said support, in the present embodiment, being inclined to adapt the convcyer to transport goods by gravity under the action of their own weight. Throughout the length of the conveyer, it is mounted upon its support by a series of s bstantially U-shaped tie rods 2, which maylgbe Secured to the base or support 1 in any suitable manner, not shown in the drawings. 7

Extending longitudinally of the conveyer, and secured to the upper extremities of the tie rods, are a pair of-spaced guide rails or channel bars 3, said rails being held in position by means of rivets 4. Also extending longitudinally of the conveyer and seated in the corners of the U-shaped tie rods, is another pair of channel bars 5 which, to-

gether wlth'the guide rails 3, serve to connect the U-shaped tie rods together to form a rigid conveyer frame.

As shown best in Fig. 3, eachi of the rollers is constructed, preferably, of a seamless tube 6, within each end of which, is mounted, preferably by a shrinking fit, a bearing block 7 with a central well, or bearing, 8 for the reception of a stub-end journal 9 on the end of a threaded stud 10 which is inserted through an aperture in 'the web of the channel beam 5, and locked in posi-.

tion by means of a pair of locking nuts 11, which impinge the opposite faces of said Web. The fiat face of the central bearing well in the block 7 is provided with a depression for seating a ball 12 for taking up the end thrust between the journal 9 and the bearing block 7. The channel beams 5 are secured in position by rivets 18 which i also pass through the different tie rods 2.

In order to provide improved Ineans'for automatically centering goods which are transported by the conveyer, each of the rollers 6 is provided on its outer cylindrical surface with a central rib, or annulus, 19 into which merge from opposite directions a pair of helical threads or guides 20 which, by the direction'of rotation indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, serve to impart a latoral impulse toward the center of the rollers.

.In the modification shown in Fig. 4, a pair of centrally disposed ribs 21 are spaced apart, each having its separate helical guide 22 merging therewith.

What I claim is:

Ina roller conveyer, a roller rotatably mounted, said roller being provided with helical guides on its periphery, said helical guides starting adjacent the ends of said roller and leading to the center and intersecting with an annular guide at the center of said roller.

JOHN A. ALVEY.

' In the presence of- HUGH H. ALVEY, M. C. HAMMON.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0." 

